


Something

by desperationandgin



Category: Blindspot (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 06:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6228115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desperationandgin/pseuds/desperationandgin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone has words to say about Jane's tattoos, and Kurt doesn't take kindly to strangers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something

It happens while they’re standing at a food truck together, contently quiet as they wait for their turn to order tacos. Jane’s used to comments by now when she’s not covered up; wintertime was great for covering most of her body but it’s nearly 90 degrees, the sky is cloud free, and long sleeves would be sweltering. She’s wearing a white cap-sleeved shirt with a scoop neck which leaves her arms and chest visible to prying eyes, but it’s the shorts she’s never worn before that reveal just how tattooed she is. Saturday lends itself to casual wear, especially when Kurt makes an impromptu visit to her house to take her for one of the best tacos she’ll ever get in the city. (It comes from a _truck_ so she has her doubts, but it’s an afternoon out of the safe house with Kurt.)

She feels what seems like a small finger on the back of her arm and turns, finding a little boy sheepishly pulling his hand back with a shy smile. Jane smiles back, not minding it so much when kids are curious. They’re always nicer about it than adults and she waits for the inevitable question.

“Did it hurt?” he asks, not much older than Sawyer, but before Jane can reply the man she can only assume is the child’s father tugs him back by the shoulder.

“It’s okay,” Jane says quickly to the parent, wanting him to know she’s fine with the question before nodding. She doesn’t remember getting them, but she’d been in pain the second she’d woken up in Time Square. “A little bit, but not anymore.”

“It’s a shame you have all of those tattoos. You could really be somethin’, you know?”

Jane blinks in surprise, looking at the man who has his hand on his son’s shoulder, the boy looking up at his father’s words while Jane tries to decide if she heard him correctly. “...I...what?”

“Just, you know. You have a pretty face but…” he gestures to all of her, looking for all the world like he’s trying to give her a compliment, smiling even as he shrugs. “You ruined it, that’s all.”

People have stared, people have asked questions, but no one’s ever said anything quite like that to her before, and she tries to figure out what to say, forehead knit together as she process that this person she’s never met is saying these things to her without knowing anything about her.

“You’ll want to close your mouth now.”

Kurt’s voice is low beside her, the register meaning someone’s in danger of being shown he’s serious.

“Excuse me? I can say what I want. It was just an observation. A self-respecting person who wants to be taken seriously doesn’t do that to their body.”

Jane’s eyes move to Kurt’s face, watches his eyes dart subtly from the child to the man, sees the way his jaw tenses when he decides not to punch the guy.

“You don’t know anything about her. So why don’t you set a good example for your kid and stop talking.” He’s prepared to leave it at that, turning back around again, fingers lightly on Jane’s waist as he urges her to do the same.

“Sorry your girlfriend reminded me of the painted lady down at the carnie show.” He thinks he’s made a good joke, gotten the last word in, pulling out his phone from his pocket.

He’s wrong.

Kurt turns again, stepping uncomfortably close to the man. “What’s your name?”

“I don’t have to tell you that.”

Reaching into his pocket, the badge comes out, flips open to FBI in bold print. “I’ll ask you again. What’s your name?”

Technically (and Jane knows it) the man can’t be arrested for this, is in no real danger of anything and doesn’t have to give his name, but the badge throws him off, and she turns her head to watch him blink and stutter.

“It’s uh, it’s Marvin. Marvin Nicholson.”

“I really hope, Marvin, that when I type your name into my computer at work, nothing comes up on you. Parking tickets, a mistake on your taxes, jay walking. I hope I don’t have a reason to embarrass you in front of your kid. Now, you move to the other line, to the back, and keep your mouth shut.” It’s not a request, not by a long shot, and Kurt’s eyes remain steady on the man until he takes his son and moves to the back of the other line, behind at least fifteen people.

Neither Jane nor Kurt speak until they order their food and have it in hand, going to sit on a bench near the water to eat.

“You didn’t  have to do that,” she finally says, looking up at him, watching as he settles back and takes a bite of his food before swallowing and answering her.

“Yeah, I did.”

“It’s...it was fine, people don’t understand, they make comments…”

“It’s not fine, Jane. Okay? No one gets to tell you you’re less of a person just because of the tattoos.” His eyes are on her, watching as she nods before they both go quiet to eat, finishing up a few minutes later but sitting together, close enough that her shoulder is brushing his.

“Are you really going to look him up on Monday?”

“Nah. But he’ll sweat for a week, at least.”

Jane laughs softly, smiling as she shakes her head a little.

“You are something, you know.” Kurt clears his throat before looking over at her, eyes steady on hers. “And you’re beautiful, Jane. Don’t let someone’s opinion make you feel like you aren’t.”

For the second time she doesn’t know what to say, blinking at him as she says the first words that come to mind. “You think I’m beautiful?”

Now _he_ ’s the one who isn’t sure what to say, and he takes her hand in his, thumb brushing over the honeycomb tattoos across her skin. “Yeah. I do.”

Pressing her palm flat against his, their fingers lace together. She’s not sure what to tell  him in response, so instead she leans against him, head resting on his shoulder. He thinks she’s beautiful, and even if he’s the only person in the world who ever thinks so, that’s all she needs. “Take me home?” It’s a quiet request once she lifts her head, watching his face.

He looks slightly disappointed, not wanting their day together to end. “You’re ready to go?”

Jane doesn’t want there to be any doubt between them, wants to erase the new crestfallen look he’s sporting. Tentatively, she presses her lips to his, her free hand reaching to cradle the side of his face as they kiss. When she deepens it, one of his hands moves to her hip just before she pulls back but only enough for now to see his eyes. “Take me home, Kurt.”

Now there’s something unspoken about what that means, and he knows, so he stands, throws their trash away and reaches for her hand. No words are said, but he’s going to show her that every tattoo makes her beautiful, his resolve growing stronger with every step.

Starting with his name.


End file.
